That massacre happened in about five minutes. In Manatee and Sarasota counties, it takes between six and 11 minutes for law enforcement to respond to a call, he said. Without someone at the school who can react to the crisis, police are often too late.

So Steube, R-Sarasota, is pushing a bill that would allow school boards to designate a trained former or active law enforcement or military member who meets certain requirements to carry a concealed weapon on campuses.

But groups including the Florida Parent Teacher Association and the School Board Association said they are uncomfortable with the proposal.

Despite the training and background checks the bill would require, the risks are too high, Florida PTA Treasurer Janet Lamoureux said at a meeting of the House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, which passed the bill Wednesday.

“PTA doesn’t want the exposure of another gun on campus,” Lamoureux said.

Instead of arming eligible staff or volunteers, she supported funding more school resource officers. Other committee members also favored that approach.

Sarasota County School Board member Caroline Zucker said she has debated the issue with Steube, and prefers more resource officers to arming teachers or volunteers. The resource officers know how to interact with the students and develop trust so they will report when they hear someone plans to bring a gun to school, she said.

But putting those law enforcement officers in schools is expensive.

This year the city of Sarasota budgeted $412,985 for school resource officers in three schools: Brookside Middle, Booker High and Sarasota High.

Resource officers, particularly at big schools, could use backup, Steube said, and local elementary schools are vulnerable. He has spoken at a few Sarasota schools where the entry is through double glass doors.

“I mean, even if those were locked you could just break it with your arm or shoot through it and walk in, and the whole school’s at your mercy,” Steube said.

Jane Goodwin, another Sarasota County School Board member, cautiously supports the bill. She said she especially likes a provision giving school boards discretion over deploying the armed people in their district. While Sarasota County may not use it, she said rural communities such as Myakka City — where it takes longer for law enforcement to respond — might find it useful.

Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight did not comment on the local need or impact of the bill, but said he shares Steube’s concern for school safety.

“As a member of the Florida Sheriffs Association I am aware that Steube has been in close contact with FSA representatives and we look forward to this bill’s continued improvement as it moves through the process,” Knight wrote in an email.

Steube plans several policy amendments at the next committee stop.

One would make it clear that the person carrying the concealed weapons permit — whether a school employee or volunteer — has to be former or current law enforcement in good standing, or former or current military member with an honorable discharge and no weapons violation disciplinary action.

They would also need to pass a background check and have a conceal and carry permit. They would need to take a 40-hour school safety course, complete eight hours of active shooter training per year and four hours of firearms training annually.

Another amendment would require that only superintendents — not principals, as previously stated — could select the person who would carry the weapon, Steube said.

The superintendent could only do that with the school board’s consent.

“If the school board doesn’t want to do it, then they don’t have to do it,” Steube said. “It’s giving people another ability to add to their school’s safety programs.”

Despite the opt-in approach, gun violence opponents are concerned with the potential for unintended consequences.

About 25 opponents of the legislation gathered outside the Capitol Wednesday and holding signs reading “Gun safety now” and “Demand action to end gun violence.”

Teachers have enough demands on their time and don’t want additional requirements that take time from instruction, said Chryl Anderson of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Steube hopes the bill (HB 753) will be heard in the Judiciary Committee next week before reaching the House floor. The Senate version of the bill (SB 968) has passed one committee.